Intel: We Have All 14nm Capacity We Need.

Intel Corp. said on Wednesday that it has enough 14nm manufacturing capacities to support volume ramp of its next-generation microprocessors code-named Broadwell. The world’s largest chipmaker will have numerous fabs ready to produce central processing units and other products using 14nm process technology in the coming month.

“We have the capacity we need and the ability to scale as needed,” said Chuck Mulloy, a spokesman for Intel, when asked whether Intel has enough 14nm-capable manufacturing capacities to start volume production of the code-named Broadwell chips later this year.

Intel’s forthcoming Broadwell micro-architecture resembles existing Haswell micro-architecture, but contains a number of tweaks aimed to improve performance and boost battery life. Since the new chips will be made using thinner process technology, it is logical to expect higher energy-efficiency and/or additional clock-speed potential. The first Broadwell chips are expected to hit the market in Q3 2013.

Previously it was reported that Intel had decided to delay installation of equipment into its latest fab 42 facility in Chandler, Arizona. The chipmaker made decision not to equip the fab to make chips using 14nm process technology, but to leave the building for future manufacturing tools and process technologies.

Initial fabs to produce new-generation microprocessors based on the code-named Broadwell micro-architecture using 14nm process technology will be D1D and D1X module 1 in Hillsboro, Oregon. Besides, Intel has converted (and continues to convert) its existing fab 32 to 14nm process technology. While the fab 24 in Ireland remains in the roadmap for conversion to 14nm, the company does not have any schedules at the moment.

“D1D is the development fab and first production will come out of that facility. The Intel Arizona site is the lead site for high volume manufacturing of our newest 14nm manufacturing process. All existing fab capacity in Arizona [except fab 42] is capable of manufacturing on both 22nm and the newest 14nm processes,” said Mr. Mulloy.

Originally, Fab 42 was supposed to produce chips using 14nm process technology on 300mm wafers. In case Intel does not require additional 14nm manufacturing capacity, the fab will be used to make chips at 10nm or even thinner nodes, which require different types of equipment than those used to manufacture processors using 14nm or 22nm fabrication processes.

“Through an ongoing drive in manufacturing efficiencies Intel was able to continue to use its existing buildings for 14nm. This allows us to maintain the new building for additional capacity flexibility and future technologies,” explained the representative for Intel.

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Without trolling, I honestly feel sorry for AMD not having their own fabs, but even more, for still releasing processors on 28nm transistors, that is double the size of what Intel is going to offer this year.

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That story appeared after your reply. Even so, products based on 20nm manufacturing process are some months away. Even the first Maxwell chips which are supposed to be on 20nm will be on 28nm at first, so no, they didn't have a choice if they wanted to release kaveri when they did.

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"That story appeared after your reply"

Well, the fab didn't. Grab a copy of eetimes to know what's going on at that level. AMD would have had a choice, but it would not have been a cost effective one because early adopters of new nodes always pay a high price for the privilege.

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Their chioce couldn't have materialised in real products on the market until some months later. If 20nm would have been available, Nvidia and AMD would be all over it for their graphic cards. AMD is tied on what GloFo and TSMC have at the moment, and that is not much.
There are no products on the market using 20nm, just like there are none using 14nm.
You wanted to make it look like AMD could use 20nm if they wanted to, but the truth is that they couldn't.

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on their own they wouldn't have been able to afford even 28nm today. each node gets ever more expensive and AMD just doesn't have to volume to keep up that R&D costs.

furthermore global foundries is planning to play catchup with 20 and 14nm, planning to do that transition within a year. AMD would never have the money to do that. but global foundries does, and it has the customers to make that expense viable.

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That would be nice. I can see myself buying an 8-core. 16 threaded 5930k Broadwell processor for $500 with DDR4. But by that time, AMD might have a DDR4 board out with Excavator in 2016. I don't need one, unless I want to edit 4k video and cameras with 4k are reduced in price. I can already watch smooth 4k on my Phenom x6 1055t at 60hz, 30fps.

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Seeing the Nvidia Tegra K1, with 4 ARM based Refrence A15 cores, benchmarking so well, and with the Future Nvidia custom Denver ARM 64 bit ISA based K1s on the way, AMD may do better focusing on getting a Custom ARM 64 bit ISA "Denver" type of APU of its own going, with AMD's own special version of HSA! AMD needs to focus on the Nvidia front, in mobile, as Intel is a non factor, currently, in the hot mobile market. I like what Nvidia is doing with the K1, and what AMD is doing with its Kaveri, and HSA, but AMD needs a custom ARM 64 based version of the Kaveri type platform, and all its HSA, hUMA, hQ, and GPU compute cores goodness, with which to compete directly with the Tegra K1 SKUs. The x86 push to low power attempts of Intel, should be telling, to AMD, to maybe focus on the ARM side, as that is what the mobile world runs on, and has been running on since day one! Nvidia is not standing still, since it was unable to obtain an x86 license, and has instead devoted those microcoding efforts towards the ARM 64 Bit ISA, rather than the x86 ISA!